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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28724226">The Aftermath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiNeedsHugs1031/pseuds/LokiNeedsHugs1031'>LokiNeedsHugs1031</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Barisi Ficlets [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Law &amp; Order: SVU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Bisexual Rafael Barba, Crying, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s19e13 The Undiscovered Country, First Kiss, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt, Hurt Rafael Barba, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Men Crying, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Episode: s19e13 The Undiscovered Country, Pre-Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Sweet Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., soft barba</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:35:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28724226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LokiNeedsHugs1031/pseuds/LokiNeedsHugs1031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonny is upset that Rafael decides to up and leave with no goodbyes, he goes to the former ADA's apartment to say his two-cents but finds Rafael dealing with more drama. His Mother Lucia.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rafael Barba &amp; Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr., Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Barisi Ficlets [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1845442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So this kept swimming around in my head so I finally had to write it down. This is post-Undiscovered Country episode where Rafael may have left the ADA but hasn't left New York. Sonny goes to find him and angst ensues! I love these two so much!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                Sonny was not only hurt but furious as he made his way up to Rafael Barba’s third floor apartment. He’d had gone to Rafael’s office first and found it stripped, Carmen wasn’t even there. As he rounded the corner of the hallways he stopped in his tracks. What he didn’t expect was an already open door and shouting, and then the tell-tale sound of a loud slap. He entered the apartment without thinking and there was an older woman there. His appearance thankfully stopped the shouting and he recognized the woman as Barba’s mother and Rafael holding a hand to his cheek.</p><p>            “Well, I see one of your lovers is here I’ll just leave now…” she snapped and for the first time ever Sonny saw tears in Rafael’s eyes, his chest hiccup and his eyes turned a darker shade of green from the wetness.</p><p>            “He’s from work Mami…” but she was already out of the apartment.</p><p>            Rafael turned away and it was only now that Sonny realized how dressed down he was, t-shirt, sweatpants, bare feet. He looked so much smaller than he did in the courtroom.</p><p>            “If you’re here to yell at me too I’m really not in the mood…” Rafael spoke, his voice sounding broken and cracking and Sonny could already tell that he was on the edge of a meltdown. He’d spent enough time with the other man while working on his law degree to know this much.</p><p>            “Rafa, hey, no I’m not here to yell. Liv told me you were leaving, were you really just gonna slip out and not tell anyone? Especially me?”</p><p>            He continued to clutch the kitchen counter with both hands, the knuckles of his hands turning white. “I can’t talk right now Detective, can you please go? Please.”</p><p>            Sonny moved forward and took the former ADA by the elbow, giving it a gentle tug, “Hey, hey, look at me.” he said when Barba kept his head turned away to hide his face, so much so that he, without thought hooked a finger beneath Rafa’s chin to guide his eyes forward, “You do not need to be alone right now.”</p><p>            He could see how hard Rafael was trying not to lose it so he took it upon himself to insert himself in the other man’s space, “Come here, come on.” he pulled him into his arms and he felt the reluctance, but it didn’t take long before Rafael was falling against him. It was in this moment he realized how much taller he was than the other man. He rubbed his back and murmured over and over, “It’s okay, you’re okay, just let it out. I’m not going anywhere.”</p><p>            “She called me a murderer and an abomination…” Rafael sobbed so abruptly Sonny flinched, “She’s never hit me before…only my Dad…”</p><p>            “Shhhh,” Sonny couldn’t help himself he kissed the top of Rafael’s head, his hair soft and shower-damp, free of any styling gel, “You’re none of those things. None of them.”</p><p>            “I’m so alone…everyone is gone…I’m so alone…”</p><p>            “No, no you’re not I’m right here. Not going anywhere, I promise. You hear me?”</p><p>            Rafael only buried his face against Sonny’s chest with another messy and loud sob.</p><p>            He let the other man cry it out before speaking again, “When was the last time you slept?”</p><p>            “I don’t know….” Rafael hiccupped against his chest, his fingers still tangled in Sonny’s t-shirt. “I’m so exhausted…”</p><p>            “Come on,” Sonny said, steering him towards the bedroom, “You’re lying down and afterwards I’m cooking for you. No objections.” He wasn’t even sure how he managed to maneuver the other man onto the bed, exhausted from crying was all he could gather.</p><p>            “Please stay, please.” Rafael muttered, sounding like a tired child.</p><p>            “Wasn’t gonna leave, come on, lay down here.” He situated the smaller man underneath the covers, then went around to the other side, toed off his shoes and shimmied onto the bed. Without even asking he situated himself comfortably against the bed frame, opened up his arms once again and Rafael fell against him without contest. “Close your eyes, you’re safe here I’m not going anywhere.” He stroked his head, running his fingers through Rafael’s hair, scratching his neck. He was still hiccupping with cries but soon enough it turned into deep, sleeping breaths.    </p><p>            He’d never seen Barba so soft and the fact that the last few weeks had reduced him to this broke his heart. It was so wrong, Barba was only doing what he thought was right, it stemmed from his childhood and his mother had made the situation worse.</p><p> </p><p>            It was hours later that Sonny woke up, finally falling asleep with the warm body atop him, he checked his watch, his charge still asleep on top of him. Seven hours. damn. “Rafa, hey,” he once more kissed the top of his head, “I think you need to wake up and eat, huh?”</p><p>            “No,” Rafael groaned, snuggling in further and hugging Sonny tighter in a semi-conscious state. Sonny wasn’t even sure he knew he was doing it</p><p>            Sonny laughed softly, “Sweetheart, you need to wake up. Come on. I’ll make you food.” The endearment slipped but whether Rafael had heard it or not he couldn’t tell.</p><p>            Rafael only held on tighter, nuzzling against his neck, “I’m fine.”</p><p>            “Oh, sure you are,” Sonny laughed again, running fingers through his hair. He had never seen Rafael without ONE hair out of place, and now it was a ruffled mess and so endearing he had to smile.</p><p>            “Sorry.” Rafael said, his voice sounded more awake as he took a deep shaky breath and tipped his head upwards balancing his chin on Sonny’s chest.</p><p>            Sonny took the advantage and without thinking moved forward and kissed him on the lips, chaste and gentle but with meaning.</p><p>            When he pulled away Rafael looked shocked, and then was tearing up again.</p><p>            “I’m sorry, fuck I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset you I shouldn’t have done that.” Sonny rambled his heart soaring to his throat.</p><p>            But then he was silenced by Rafael returning the kiss, pressing up against him, chest to chest and kissing him into oblivion.</p><p>            This went on for a silent, beautiful few minutes.</p><p>            “I’ve wanted that for a long time.” Rafael murmured, falling against him, exhaustion winning out.</p><p>            “Me too.” Sonny said kissing the top of his head the curve of his neck where he could reach. “For a long time.”</p><p>            “It’s been a long day…” Rafael sighed, tightening his arms around his waist, his eyes still locked on the Detective’s.</p><p>            “How about,” Sonny started with a kiss, “I make you something to eat.” another kiss. “And then we fall asleep watching a movie.”</p><p>            “You don’t have to do that.” Rafael huffed.</p><p>            “Why shouldn’t I? Or why shouldn’t we?” Sonny smiled, pressing a kiss to one cheek and then the other. “You have had a fucked-up week how about I get you wound down.”</p><p>            Rafael’s green eyes closed and finally a ghost of a smile played on his mouth and then he nodded before leaning up for another long, sleepy kiss, “Yeah…yeah, I think I need that please.”</p><p>           </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>What did ya'll think?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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